Taskforce costs $150,000 - and rising

The Don Brash-chaired 2025 Taskforce has cost taxpayers about $150,000 in the four months since it was set up.

The five-member advisory group, established under the terms of Act's support agreement with National, has a budget of $217,800 this year and a total budget of $477, 000 over its designated three-year lifespan.

It also has a secretariat staffed by Treasury officials.

The taskforce has met 11 times, although the first meeting all of its members could attend did not occur until two months ago.

Now that it has produced its report on closing the income gap with Australia by 2025, the taskforce is required to report each year on the Government's progress towards that goal. Its next report is due by October next year.